of protection and subtraction of Ioy not otherwise His soule hath not ended in these griefes but new cruelties inuade his body After these conflicts the butcherly Iewes attach him and leade him as a Lambe to the slaughter apprehending him whom mercy before had apprehended as a Malefactor the true high Priest is brought before the false from painted wall Annas dismissed to Caiphas a Priest as wise as Balaams Asse who spake more then he knew yet the truth where they binde his hands buffet him with theirs spit vpon his face which the Angels desire to contemplate the Priests question him their seruants blinde him those out of the superfluity of contempt these of skorne those to try if he were a God these if a Prophet Accusers are wanting which in so wicked a generation cannot be long who corrupt his words change his meaning for Christ said not Destruam Templum but Soluite I will destroy this Temple but destroy ye neither added hee Templum Dei but simply This Temple Thirdly hee meant his Body not that materiall Fabrick wherein consisted their holy Ostentation This euening was famous with the reuolt and reconcilement of one Disciple as the next morning with the despaire of another thus that day was ended Their wrath went not downe with the Sunne the next morning was to them a continuall night when they consult to eclipse the Sunne Iudas the first in treason is the first in the Calender of reuenge a transcendent sunne a Traitor Paramount therefore he is his owne Iudge and Executioner his conscience arraignes him his owne hands do hang him Passage is denied that impious soule through those lippes which had touched Christs nor shall it ascend so high towards heauen but rip open a way by the violent rupture of his bowels to hell Arius that killed his Godhead by denyall Iudas his manhood by treason are alike in punishment yet it was a greater sinne to kill himselfe then his Master These mentall murderers loath to act it with their owne hands conuent him before Pilate Where Christ stands at the Roman tribunall the Iudge delegated from God more then Caesar sits in Commission vpon him by him he is questioned to amazing silence Iustly was the Lambe of God dumbe and opened not his mouth before him that had shorne him with whips Pilat after the expence of some cruelty labours to take off the Iewes to lenifie and tame their cruelty which like fire kept in with water sprinkled or a water-course stopt breaks forth with greater furie Good Iesus how art thou now abused New accusations are forged new Knights of the Post procured to make thee a traitor to the Roman State He that with Spittle cured the eyes of the blinde is blinded with their spittle who can number those stripes wherwith they flea and teare his body one wound eating into another that there is no health in his bones by reason of our sinnes Tyranny cloatheth him with one purple died in the purest graine of his bloud disdaine with another a Reed is his Scepter and a Crowne context with Thornes is beaten to his head and with all the complement of scorne on bended knees they salute him King O Iesus was that frothy spittle the ointment those thornes thy Crowne the Reed thy Scepter the purple died and imbroidered with blood thy royall robes or because Adams sinne brought forth thornes must it be thy penance to weare them Vnthankfull people thus watred with his bloud bring forth nothing but Thornes to crowne him conspuunt in leprefuâ—â— ugauerunt vt latronem deriserunt vt fatuum saith Chrisostome Thus Pilate persisting to take off the edge of their malice exposeth him to be commiserated with Ecce homo sufficiently punished Ecce Rex vester sufficiently derided then pleading the benefit of their custome is desirous that Christ might be pardoned vpon course but these pacifications are but whetstones of a sharper and more incensed hatred Barrabas that brought many from life to death is preferred before Christ that brought more from death to life and no maruell like will to like murderers to a murderer An outcry is raised Crucifie him crucifie him twice Cruelfie as if they thought one Crosse too little for him Inconstant fauour of man their Anthemes of Hosanna and Benedictus not long since ioyfully spoken are conuerted into tragicall notes of Crucifie him If Pilat be indulgent they goe neere to proclaime him traitor to auoid which suspition he chooseth to be an vniust Iudge rather then supposed a disloyall subiect by his doome he allots him to the Crosse appoints the Souldiers his executioners and the Priests his Ouersters Now Christ goeth the dolorous way beares his Crosse till he fainted that bore him till he dyed where malice in them longing as much as mercy in him for accomplishment to make haste permit him an Adiutor A guilty conscience doubteth want of time therefore dispatcheth hastily Where the women as as he went strew the way with teares whom he wisheth to spend when occasion shallserue to still their plaint and to stay their weeping as if some trespasse were in their teares or some sinne in their sorrow when in the rage of slaughter Infants blood shall be more plentifull then Mothers teares and a screeching voice shall be heard in Hterusalem many Rachels weeping for their children and would not be comforted because they were not Must no other death stint their malice but the Crosse others they had in practise as the Towell stoning and beheading more fauourable and sutable to their Nation will they pollute a Iew with a Roman death He was made obedient to the death of the Crosse a degree beyond death Magnacrudelitas non solum occidere sed crucifigere quaerunt vt morte vexaretur producta saith venerable Bede Tertull. the Crosse crucifigendi corporis machina the engine of torture a slow death spinning out paine into a longer threed where his owne weight becomes his owne affliction vpon this racke dinumerauerunt omnia ossa mea They sum vp the number of his bones anatomize his body his armes and legges racked with violent puls hands and feet boared with nailes his side wounded with a speare the whole body torne with stripes and goared with blood with what words shall I complaine of their sauagenesse Lactant. Tully extended all the nerues of Eloquence and crucified his inuentions to expresse the quality of these paines yet was non-pâ—ust at his Gauintan Crosse yet hitherto their malice brought our Sauiour And that at the solemne time of the Passeouer when Hierusalem was full of Iewes and Proselytes they kill the Lambe of God without a figure their malice making way for the diuine dispensation for Christ our passeouer is offred for vs c. And to fulfill their cruelty with a Prophesie they crucifie him with theeues where the one a Doeg obdurate wounds him with his tongue and hath Iustice the other in a holy Catastrophe doth blesse God and dye Were
his birth of a Virgin-mother cradle banishment when he fled that could not goe the efficacy of his preaching his miraculous cures vindicating of his Fathers Temple from pollution c. all are filed which were in him fulfilled Let vs arest our selues awhile vpon his foretold Passions when Christ rode in triumph towards his Crosse hee did not bestride an Asses backe without a Prophesie to helpe him vp Behold Zâ—ch 5. thy King commeth riding vpon an Asses fole Indas makes his merchandise of him the price of bloud is pitcht by one Prophet and the man of bloud described by another Lach 11.13 a goodly price that I was prized of them euen thirty pieces see the difference GOD values man at his owne Bloud man his God at thirty pence The Betrayer is betrayed by description My familiar and friend c. Psâ— 41. hath conspired against me All his Disciples shall turne Cowards a Prophesie had sounded that retreat I will strike the Shepherd and the sheepe shall be scattered dye he must for the Messias must be slaine and that in a grieuous manner to make good the Type he must be lifted vp then fastened with nailes They haue pierced my hands and my feet vpon a Crosse Dominus triumphauit eligno which reading Iustin Martyr and Tertullian imbrace If they plough vpon his backe with whips those Furrowes are recorded No maruell the Souldiers riflle for his garments that vailed couetousnesse of Lots an euent in it selfe contingent Psal 22. in the Prophesie certaine for my vestments they did cast lots What will the Iew say now Prophesies not accomplished ambiguitates sunt anigmata saith Irenaeus are darke Clouds but in the accomplishment those Clouds are dispersed they become Histories Obdurate Iewes shew vs but a man in whom all the Prophesies were fulfilled and any Prophesie left vnfulfilled in our Sauiours person and we will suppose some probability to march on your side why then knowing what the Iewes did know vpon so foule a fact will our Apostle finde and returne Ignoramus Yet one prophesie had not beene accomplisht if the Iewes had knowne it that they must be the men to imbrew their hands in the bloud of their Messias But They glory in the act are so confident that were it to doe againe their Conscience would make no scruple to reiterate it as deeming the same a master piece of obedience In killing of his Disciples they thought to merit at the hands of God but in killing of his sonne to super-errogate and in a desperate affectation of Ignorance sollicite for that blood vpon their heads which Pilate washed from his hands and are so farre from sorrow that holding one life too little to take from him onely they lament he hath no more their Malice is so hereditary that if Christ should reuiue himselfe daily to saue the Priests of Rome a labour daily would they Sacrifice him A Grosse mistake there was then in the person of Christ 4 The Miracles of Iesus did not remoue their ignorance who in their owne verdict was not tainted with sinne but that they could not collect what he was by his miracles they are to mee a miracle of sottish infidelity Iudaei signa petunt their curiositie was set vpon miracles now they might take their fill Tell me what was he Arnob. Cuius Iussu ipsi Daemones in hominum visceribus merst cooperti possessione â—â—debant The very Dinels inuiscerated in men at the sound of his Imperiall word yeeld vp possession leauing their habitations as if their houses had beene on fire ouer their heads Confession is their penance with an yeelding voyce they yellow out Thou art the Sonne of God Intelligunt diaboli quod non intelligunt Iudaei as Cyrill spake of the Arians that power the diuels ascribe to God which the Iewes to the Diuels surely Sathan is a greater polititian then to vndermine himselfe with ciuill discord Was hee an ordinary Man who with the trident of his word becalmes the Seas paues them with solidity to a confirmed path for himselfe and Peter to walke on the Spectators amazed cry out what manner of man was this to whom the dumbe creatures speake such obedience Surely hee another Neptune was then whom Poets faine Arnob. cra Gentes lib 1. Post liminto vitam restituens animas efflatas iussit in diem lucidam remeare Christs call awakes Lazarus in the graue vnites what death for foure dayes had diuorced the spirit returneth to its old moald and by a new Metempsychosis or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such which Pythagoras neuer dreamed of the same soule reenters into the same body This Miracle reconciles enuie enuie a conspiracy and for a further conclusion They will see if God can dye or noe When the Conspirators came armed to apprehend him who expected not declined them the breath of his mouth as a mighty tempest leuels them with the earth A Roman Cohort driuen backe at a word Nec vox hominem sonat could not his speech betray him without flattery they might haue applauded not the voyce of man but God Quid poterit Matest as eius iudicatura cuius hoc poterat humilitas Iudicanda saith Leo. When Peter with a blow had lopt off Malchus eare the diuorced peece is glewed to its former place Christ reforming what himselfe had formed and that flesh knowing whose potsheard it was is no sooner touched with Gods finger then againe restored yet this Physitians pay was cruelty Thus to recapitulate all 1. not humane science 2. not reuealed prophesies 3. though accomplished in Christs person 4. confirmed with the working of Miracles could open their eyes but in seeing they did not see Aquia c. God hath sent them the spirit of slumber These Euidences led them to know the Messias in Christ but not the Mysterie in the Deitie but with leaue to Aquinas the Iewes held the Deitie inseperable from the Messias Chrisostome in loc or they knew not Crucifixionis mysterium The Messias to vndergoe so ignominious a death to suffer and be crucified vnder Pontius Pilate could neuer come within the Iewish Creede The vulgar Iew conceiued well but not truly of him yet somewhat popish loath to leaue the tradition of his fathers The more illuminate Doctors had greater knowledge but with greater pride and malice which did extinguish it Their Theory was vertiginous swom in the braine there floating without anchor and was of no credit with the will They cauelled at his preaching traduced his person slandered his miracles fathering them vpon diuels God onely hath the key which vnlocks the heart Faith is in his owne custodie and he distributs it to whom he will Yet their ignorance was a sinne Saint Paul led away with inconsiderate zeale was made thereby the chiefe of sinners though qualified for mercy In the Iewes their knowledge shall accuse them not acquit them they knew enough to condemne them but not enough to to saue
my soule so happy a felon as to steale Paradise at the last I would not feare any temporall arraignment to dye such a sinner or to be condemned for such a thiefe The witnesse of all this and chiefe mourner was the Blessed virgin Nature Grace are the welsprings whence flow such riuers of teares for her innocent sonne now Simeons Prophesie is made good A sword of compassion doth pierce her heart Can such a mother forget such a sonne by a reflect act her hands and feet with his are pierced her side wounded and head bruised with thornes as if but one soule in two bodies Oh my Lord thy griefe was the greatest that euer was in man and mine as great as euer happened to woman The very dumbe Creatures cry out of these paines the renting of his body rends the vaile of the Temple the digging into his side opens the Monuments the cry of him dying awakes the dead the immouable earth doth quake for feare of those feares the Sun is ashamed to shew his brightnesse when the Father of lights was darkned with such disgrace the Heauens discolour their beauties and suiting themselues to their makers fortune are in mourning robes when the lampe of heauen is extinguished Ingratefull Nation the Sunne will not shine vpon them but is immantled with a miraculous eclipse and Sympathizing with the Sunne of Righteousnesse will not appeare in Glory when the Lord of Glory is thus disgraced Bonau Solus homo non compatitur pro quo solo Christus patitur Onely man is bereft of compassion for whom onely Christ vnderwent this Passion I except the Centurion Bernard qui vitam agnouit in morte who in the shadow of death espied the substance of the Deitie Surely this man was the Sonne of God Thus Christ hauing out-cryed his torments prayed for reliefe and at his death for forgiuenesse to his enemies emisit spiritum non amisit willingly yeelds to nature and offers vp a broken heart and a troubled spirit to his Father for the worlds redemption O strange Physicke where the Physitian must bleed and a stranger Conquest where the Conquerour must dye and God would take no other satisfaction The wit of Heathen Religion pacified their Gods with sacrifices and of greater price of greater efficacie Sanguine placastis ventos c. The Childrens passage through the fire to Molech was thought a holy procession but here is a mystery God to offer himselfe and men to kill him Noua hostia nouo imponitur altari crux Christi non templi fit ara sed mundi saith Leo this Catholike Sacrifice is offred vpon Mount Caluary the altar of the world O the Miracle of mercy to quicken vs The Lord is view his worth in the end of my Text. The Lord of Glory Shall that Deity Lord of glory which principally resides in heauen be fastned to a crosse on earth truely though the Deitie be impatible yet by Hypostaticall vnion it constituted and made vp that Person which was qualified to passion and that so well compacted and put together that death could not diuorce that vnion The godhead hath not flesh and bloud yet God he bled for vs Qui redemit nos sanguine suo our sinnes were at so high a rate that nothing but the blood of the Lord of glory could purchase vs. This vnion consisteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vndiuided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inseperable and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without locall distance saith Damascene as a branch in the stocke as light in the Sunne as an accident in a subiect is the humanitie sustained by the Deitie The Catholike Faith goeth vpright betwixt Eutiches and Nestorius bending neither to the right hand of naturall confusion or to the left of personall diuorce Now Quaecunque in vno supposito vniuntur illa dese inuicem possunt praedicari Our Sauiours person is inuested with the properties of either nature hence flow the concrete predication of natures God is man and the abstract communication of properties to the subiect Christ is infinitenesse In this marriage the humane nature is in the person enstated with all the diuine Royalties and that is so indulgent as to assume her infirmities that we may say Christ-God-Man made the world Christ-Man-God redeemed it Here is the root of the infinitenesse of his merits Principium quo the subiect wherein he suffered was the humane nature but the principium quod the soule which did enable and informe it was the Deity Sent. 3. d. 19. Christ did elicere actiones ex supposito saith Scotus performe his taske in proper person So by that meanes reconciled infinitenesse to all his actions Infinite not in respect of the act but Person The Lord of glory Gabriel 3.5.19 d. q. 19. d. q. vnica The Lord of glory and yet crucified Neuer was glory so eclipsed here is Honour ashamed Maiesty afflicted Innocence guilty health sicke the Sunne in the night a vailed Deity In mount Tabor Christ was apparelled like himselfe a man might reade Maiesty in his countenance but in Mount Caluary all is obtenebrated Christ like his Spouse the Church is blacke but comely The Crosse nigredo est sed forma similitudo Domini Goe vnto Esay Hee hath no forme nor comlinesse there is no beauty in him The sable Curtaines by that Prophet are drawne vpon him Haue recourse vnto Dauid Thou art fairer then the children of men grace is powred into thy lips Bernard Intuere sane pannis sordidum plagis liuidum illitum sputis pallidum morte nigrum vel tunc profecto fatebere to see him thus conspuicated thy wit will serue thee to confesse his blacknesse but aske the Apostles whom they saw in the Mount or the Angels whom they desire to see thou wilt soone recognize him to be the Lord of glory Ergo formosus in se niger propter te so comely in himselfe so blacke for thee thus crucified he was without disparagement to his glory Non est fastidita humilitas Leo. quia nec imminuta Maiestâ—s nihil nocuit naturae inuiolabili quod passibili oportehat inferri All these passions truly vndergone by him did no whit impeach his Deity So Consummatum est it is finished and with it my Meditations there is remaining a short conclusion which desires to finde and leaue you attentiue YOu haue heard me relate the greatest crime that euer was committed wherein I know not if the Art of Tyranny were greater to inuent or Christs patience to endure The Heire is slaine but the Iewes haue lost the inheritance This is the medulla and blessednesse of Christianity that God set more by vs then his Sonne and Christ lost his life in seeking vs. Nos tanto redimimur pretio Leo. nos tanto curamur impendio so dearely did he ransome vs. Is it nothing vnto you all ye that passe by Behold and see if there bee any sorrow like to my sorrow which is done vnto me